The blood of a firefighter runs rampant in Dave Miller’s veins.
For 16 years, Miller extinguished fires and assisted people as a volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania until lung complications forced him to retire in 1994.
He now lives in Gainesville as a writer, but after an 18-year absence from firefighting, Miller, 49, said he feels out of the loop.
On Saturday, Miller trekked through familiar ground as one of the 22 participants in the Gainesville Fire Rescue Department’s inaugural Citizens’ Fire Academy.
“I still miss it. It’s in your blood,” he said. “It takes a lot of character to be able to be the one running in when everyone’s running out.”
The academy immersed participants in hands-on scenarios that simulated real emergency situations GFR has experienced in the last year.
Participants, equipped with hard hats and fireproof uniforms, worked closely with department staff and union members to cut car doors with specialized tools, simulate a search and rescue mission, operate a fire hose and practice CPR.
“It really shows people the true working conditions for firefighters,” said Krista Gonzalez, a GFR risk reduction specialist and public education coordinator.
Gonzalez, 27, said a one-week academy for middle-school students has been active within the department for about 12 years.
Saturday’s event was the first time the department held a fire academy for adult citizens.
“We realized that we’re doing it for the middle schools, so why aren’t we exposing our adults to this?” she said.
Candidates for the academy applied in the beginning of April. When applications closed in May, the department started choosing candidates, mainly on a first-come, first-served basis for those who met minimum health requirements.
Gonzalez said she was pleased to see a range of residents interested in the academy.
Gainesville City Commissioner Susan Bottcher was among the several city officials who participated.
“It gives you an appreciation for people who put themselves in life-threatening positions,” she said.
Gene Prince, GFR fire chief, said the academy also gives residents an opportunity to see the lifesaving equipment their tax money pays for.
“We want them to see that we keep [the equipment] for a long time, and we take good care of them,” he said.
Rescue Special Operations Chief Donald Sessions ended the day with a presentation on fire prevention and codes.
Although the academy is in its first year, Tracey Higdon, president of GFR’s Local 2157 firefighters’ union, said he hopes the department will continue to host the event in the future.
“I think there is a lot of value letting people see who we are,” he said.
Ron Ozbun, 67, a retired UF staff member, said experiencing the scenarios helped him better appreciate the department’s services.
“I look at the department as my lifeline,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for these people now.”
CITIZENS' FIRE ACADEMY -- Reggie Kinsey, 24, an EMT at Station 7, and Greg Fenn, 32, a driver/operator at Station 1, assist Mary Ann Dematas, 30, with a 1 1/4 inch (diameter) fire hose, spraying 170 gallons of water per minute, Saturday at Station 3, near Waldo Road and 8th Avenue. Dematas, who works in the Lawn and Gardening Department at Home Depot, tried to compare the water pressure to a difficult task, but carrying 30-pound bags of soil doesn't illustrate the constant force her body stood against.
